On April 15th, British ultrarunner William Goodge will set off from Perth on a run that would make most people’s legs ache just thinking about it: more than 2,500 miles (or 4,000 kilometers), all the way to Sydney.
The goal? Finish in just 35 days, breaking the current record of 39 days and 8 hours. That’s about two-and-a-half marathons. Every. Single. Day.
But this isn’t just about records.
It’s about his mother, Amanda, who passed away from cancer in 2018.
And it’s about how running—something that once helped him survive the worst pain of his life—has become the thing that gives his life purpose.
“At the start, running was something I did to feel physical suffering so I could deal with the mental suffering,” Goodge told RUN247. “Now it’s something I’m really proud of. It’s turned into something beautiful.”
Goodge was 23 when his mom died. Not a kid, but not quite fully grown, either. He says he saw two paths in front of him: one that involved drinking and spiraling, and another where he channeled his pain into something bigger.
He chose the latter. And he ran with it—literally.
At first, it was just him and the road, trying to clear his head. Then came the charity runs. The fundraising. The Instagram messages from people who said his story got them moving, too. He started raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support, the organization that helped care for his mum in her final days. So far, he’s raised over £200,000 for cancer charities.
“When you start, it’s selfish,” he says. “You’re just trying to help yourself. But once you show people it’s possible to live with the pain—and still move forward—they start believing they can too.”
The Big One: Australia
Goodge has done some serious feats before—he ran across the United States, logged a marathon in every county in England, and tackled countless ultramarathon.
But Australia is different.
This one has a record hanging over it. And that brings pressure.
“This has the potential to be the hardest one I’ve done,” he says. “Because I’ve said out loud I’m going for a record. There’s no escape. There’s no pulling the plug.”
His route stretches more than 4,000 km from west to east across the continent—flat, hot, and brutally repetitive.
While the U.S. run had variety (mountains, forests, cities), Australia will test his ability to keep going through sameness. Flat roads can be a blessing for speed, but a curse for the body: you’re using the same muscles in the same way, every step. No breaks.
And then there’s the Nullarbor Plain, a vast, treeless stretch where temperatures can spike above 40°C (104°F) and the horizon doesn’t budge. Cell service is spotty. The mental game gets loud.
The current record belongs to Chris Turnbull, who finished the run in October 2024 in just over 39 days. In a rare show of camaraderie, Turnbull has been helping Goodge prepare—offering tips and route advice.
“Chris has been incredibly helpful,” Goodge says. “And I think I can do it in 35.”
That’s a tall order. To beat Turnbull’s time by four days, Goodge needs to average 114 kilometers per day—that’s nearly three marathons daily. Even for elite runners, that’s almost unheard of.
But if anyone’s mentally tough enough to go the distance, it might be Goodge.
Can He Do It?
Statistically, it’s wild. Ultra-endurance runs push the body to its absolute edge. According to Frontiers in Physiology, runners in these kinds of events face everything from immune system suppression to hormonal crashes, not to mention constant risk of overuse injuries, dehydration, and mental burnout.
And yet—Goodge seems ready. The legs are strong. The mindset’s there. He turns 31 during the run.
“Everything’s primed for what will be a great adventure,” he says.
